By Jimmy Lemke
Sports Editor
sports@uwmpost.com
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men’s basketball coach Rob Jeter got some great news on Tuesday, and the UWM Post is 100% sure that it was not an April Fool’s prank.
According to JuCoJunction.com, the Panthers received a commitment from Olney Central Community College sophomore Burleigh Porte.
Porte, a 6′8″ forward from Liberia, is the 7th player to commit to Milwaukee for the upcoming 2008-09 season. Porte, who figures to pick up where departing senior Marcus Skinner left off, is the 5th player in the incoming class to be 6′7″ or taller. Ryan Haggerty of Glen Ellyn, Ill., Riley Walker of McFarland, Tony Meier of St. Louis, and James Eayrs of Roseville, Minn. all reach that height or surpass it. The recruiting class seems to make up for the departures of Tim Flowers and Kevin Johnson, two freshmen who didn’t pan out and have left school, and the graduation of Marcus Skinner, the forward who turned into the Panthers’ MVP this past season.
In addition to these five, 6′2” combo guard Tone Boyle from Highland Community College also committed to Milwaukee. Boyle is originally from Middleton, Wis., and will challenge for minutes at both the point guard and shooting guard spots.
The Panthers, according to WisHoops.net, have also received a walk-on commitment from Patrick Souter of Racine St. Catherine’s. Souter, who tore his ACL and sat out his senior campaign. Souter is a preferred walk-on, which means most likely that a member of the current roster is on his way out.
Of the seven commitments, Souter and Walker are both returning from torn ACL’s. In addition to these two, current Panther Zach Holt also tore his ACL, and Joe Allen tore a quadriceps muscle. The good news with all four is that their injuries happened relatively early, and each should be 100% by tip-off in November. Charlie Swiggett, who tore his ACL in January of 2007, will also have a full off-season of being healthy.
Porte is the third Panther in recent memory to have played at Olney CC. Derrick Ford and Boo Davis also played at the junior college.
